Apparatus for washing dishes, silverware, and the like



Oct. 7, 1941. D. E. YOCHEM 2,257,928

APPARATUS FOR WASHING DISHES, SILVERWARE, AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 19, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet fl/d Ebbbmmmg 0ct. 7, 1941. I YOCHEM 2,257,928

APPARATUS FOR WASHING DISHES, SILVERWARE, AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 19, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet2 I mu Oct. 7, 1941. YQCHEM 2,257,928

APPARATUS FOR WASHING DISHES, SILVERWARE, AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 19, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet s.

2/ I I I 2/ T ,1 T T Z Z i i zz I I 4.9 x

3W 1 .l h flaw 141150130111 Patented Oct. 7, 1941 APPARATUS FOR WASHING DISHES, SILVERWARE, AND THE LIKE Donald E. Yochem, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to L. 8.1). Inc., Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 19, 1938, Serial No. 246,702

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus adapted for washing, rinsing, and/or drying such objects as dishes, silverware, glassware, and the like. More particularly, it relates to apparatus employed for impelling, washing, rinsing, and drying fluids throughout the interior of a housing or casing in which the objects to be treated are confined. The various fluid impelling mechanisms embody ing this invention may be considered as modifications of the impelling mechanism disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 2,137,971, issued November 22, 1938.

In my aforesaid patent I have not only disclosed fluid impelling means but I have also disclosed a rack structure which is capable of supporting different styles and types of dishes, glass-- ware, silverware, and the like in a very eificient and effective manner so as to take full advantage of the movement of the treating fluids in the various portions of the housing interior; means for supplying the housing with the required amount of treatment fluid; means for readily draining the treatment fluid from the housing; and power means for driving the impeller mechanism. It is to be understood that the various impeller mechanisms embodying this invention are to be employed in combination with the additional apparatus disclosed in my patent, or its equivalent.

Impeller mechanism for dish washing machines of the prior art may be arranged generally in two groups. One of these groups involves rotatable impeller means having its axis arranged vertically. The other group involves rotatable impeller means having its axis arranged horizontally.

Impeller mechanism of the first group, having vertical axes of rotation, operate most efiectively in combination with housings which are of circular or cylindrical formation in top plan. This type of impeller mechanism can be designed so that the treatment fluid can be uniformly distributed throughout the interior of the cylindrical housing. This type of impeller mechanism, however, possesses several undesirable features of construction. For example, a cylindrical housing cannot be employed to the best advantage in' bottom wall of the housing and the bearing for the impeller shaft which must pass through said bottom wall. The impellermust be submerged tov a .considerable extent in the treatment fluid and the impeller, therefore, operates to either splash or project the treatment fiuidin dense or concentrated form. It has been determined that for the'most effective action the treatment fluid should be projected in a finely atomized condition and with the particles traveling at'a very high velocity. It has been found to be impossible to obtain this type of action with a rotatable impeller which is submerged to an appreciable extent in the treatment fluid and which is rotated abouta vertical axis.

An impeller device of the second group; i. e. an impeller rotating about a horizontal axis, is usually associated with' a housing or casing of rectangula'r or square shape in top plan. Housings of this shape or design are capable of confining more effectively a larger number of dishes, and the like, to be treated. It, also, is possible to operate an impeller device of this character so that its blades will merelydip from a trough a comparatively small amount of treatment fluid and disperse this fluid in a finely atomized condition and at a high velocity into the treatment zone of the housing. Prior art impeller devices of this type, however, possess the very serious disadvantage of being unable to project the treatment fluid throughout'the entire interior of a housing of satisfactory width. Because of this fact, it has been necessary toemploy two or more impeller units operating in side by side relation or with their horizontal axes arranged in parallelism. This dual type of impeller mechanism is objectionable because of the increased cost of pro viding two instead of one impeller units and because of the transmission problem made neces sary by the driving of two shafts from a single motor. This transmission mechanism,- naturally, either must include inter-meshing gears or one or more belts trained over pulleys. The gearing type of. transmission, when operated at a high speed which is essential to obtain a. finely atomized fluid traveling at a high velocity, creates a troublesome lubricating problem and is bound to be noisy. Belt transmissions are not entirely satisfactory because of the slippage of the belt, due to stretching and wearing, and because it is impossible to keep the belt dry when operating in conjunction with a device of this character.

Impeller mechanisms of the type disclosed in my aforementioned patent and of the type embodying this invention are capable of dispersing or projecting the treatment fluid throughout the entire interior of a rectangular or square housing and yet'may employ only one rotatable impeller unit. These improved mechanisms, therefore, take advantage of all of the desirable features of an impeller having a horizontal axis and overcome all of the disadvantages possessed by the prior'art mechanisms of this type.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide impeller mechanisms for effecting washing,

A further important object of this invention is to provide impeller mechanisms of the character wherein the treatment fiuids are projected throughout a portion of the treatment zone of the associated housing by means of a plurality of rotatable impeller wheels and are projected throughout the remainder of the treatment zone by means of fixed deflectors which, for the most part, cooperate with the rotatable impeller wheels aforesaid insofar as the discharge of the treatment fluid from the fixed deflectors is concerned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

form of impeller mechanism embodying this invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the'mechanism disclosed in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view of I the mechanism disclosed in Figs. 2 and. 3;

' means of the reference character 2|.

Figure 5 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but illus-- Figure 10 is a' fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of impeller mechanism disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of still another modified form of impeller mechanism bue reversed end for end with reference to the disclosures of Figs. 2, 5, 6, and 10 for the purpose of better illustrating the construction; and- Figure 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view: partly disclosed in section, of the impeller mechanism illustrated in E18. 11.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown the preferred embodiments disclosure of Fig. l, the reference character 65 I designates in its entirety the mainbody portion of the washing machine housing. This main body portion is open at its top and is adapted to be closed by the removable cover it.

Referring particularly to the main body portion I5 of the housing, the bottom wall of the same is formed by an aluminum casting ll having an upstanding marginal flange l8. Extending longitudinally of the bottom I"! is a shallow trough I9 which is adapted to cooperate with a rotatable impeller unit in a manner to be described at a later point. It might be stated at this point that the impeller mechanism which is actually illustrated in Fig. 1 is the mechanism which is-disclosed in detail in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive. It is to be understood, however, that all of the remaining impeller mechanisms are to be operatively associated with a housing of the character disclosed in Fig. 1 and for that reason the present description of Fig. 1 is intended to apply trough I! along the operating zone of the rotatable impeller wheels. This flange 20 is of less length than the length of the trough l9 and terminates at its opposite ends short of the end walls of the housing to provide at the opposite ends of the trough return passageways. These return passageways are not illustrated in Fig. 1 but are disclosed in Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11, and 12 and will be identified in these various figures by Fig. 1 clearly illustrates the remaining side of thetrough l9 as having unobstructed communication with the bottom of the housing.

All of the impeller mechanisms embodying this invention include a plurality of axially spaced impeller wheels which are mounted on a common horizontal shaft that extends longitudinally of the trough. This shaft will be identified throughout the several figures by means of the reference character 22. This impeller shaft, is journaled at its opposite ends in bearings 2'3 which are positioned so that the bearing openings will be located above the maximum fiuid level during all types of operation of the mechanlsm. One end "of the impeller shaft 22 projects through an end wall of the housing, as at 22a, for connection with a prime mover, not shown, which will operate to drive the impeller shaft at a high speed. It has been determined that the speed of rotation of the impeller shaft, ineach one of the impeller mechanisms, may

range from 1750 to 3500 R. P. M. The most efficient speed, however, has been determined to lie between 3000 and 3500 R. P. M.

The axially spaced impeller wheelsof the several mechanisms embodying this invention. will function to impel or discharge fiuid received from the trough I! in a highly atomized cpndition and at a high velocity throughout a certain por- -tion of the treatment zone provided by the entire interior of the housing II with its cover l6. This 7 portion of the treament zone provided or supplied with material by the impellers extends from the point 24 to approximately the point' 25. This portion of the treatment zone will be referred to of this invention, and particularly referring to the hereinafter as the impeller portion of .thetreat- I ment zone. The various impeller mechanisms of this invention also include fixed deflector elements which function to receive treatment fluids from the trough l9 and'to guide and direct such tor portion of the treatment zone.

Fig. 1 discloses in the impeller portion of the treatment zone fluid movement which is substantially tangential of the impeller shaft 22. The finely atomized particles of treatment fluid travel in straight line flow paths through this impeller portion of the treatment zone. Fig. l

discloses arrow lines in the deflector portion of I? the treatment tone which are intended to indicate that the flnely atomized fluid .particles travel through curved paths inthis portion. It has been determined that this travel of the fluid particles through curved paths is not produced as a result of the pull of gravity or as a result of the particles striking against the inner surface of the housing and cover wall and being de: flected downwardly. The velocity of the particles traveling through these curved flow paths is too high for either of these actions to take place. It is very obvious that the high speed of rotation of the'impeller wheels will bring about or cause a circulation of air within the housing and the cover. Air movement is possible because the interior of the housing is not completely filled with treatment fluid in condensed form for the fluid is, as has been stated, in a finely atomized condition.

or suction zone or area which increases in intensity or value as it approaches the receiving side of the trough l9, and it is considered that this low pressure or suction condition operates to pull the particles of fluid delivered from the ends of the deflectors with the result that the fluid particles traveling through the deflector portion of the treatment zone will be drawn from their normal straight line flow paths and be compelled to travel through curved flow paths. It will be appreciated that the deflector portion of the treatment zone may be widened or narrowed as desired by shaping the deflectors so that they will point'toward different portions of the width of the top wall of the cover. In other words, the deflector blades might be straightened out more than they are disclosed in any of'the figures and thereby cause the fluid delivered by the deflectors to cover a greater width or a greater portion of the width of the treatment zone. On the other hand, the deflectors might 'be curved to; a greater-extent with the result that the fluid particles discharged from the deflectors will cover a narrower portion of the treatment zone. The deflectors, therefore,

- should be so shaped or curved that they will start in where the impeller portion of the zone- Unquestionably, this movement of ,air within the housing creates a low pressure to approximately one and one-half inches from each other and that the best results are obtained l9; i. e., the axis of the-impeller shaft is located closer to the discharge side of the trough than it is to the receiving side. The spacing of the impeller wheels is considered to be very important. It has been determined that they must be spaced from approximately one-half of an inch when they ar spaced approximately one inch apart. The impeller wheels preferably should be approximately three inches in diameter. The most effective speed of operation of the impeller wheels has been set forth above. The impeller shaft with its impelling wheels should be rotated in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Fig. 1.

' The impeller shaft should be mounted so that the tips or extremities of the blades 28 should clear the inner surface of the upstanding flange 20 by approximately one-sixteenth of an inch and should, clear the inner bottom surface of the trough I9 by approximately three-sixteenths to one-quarter of an inch.

Figs. 2 and 3 disclose in detail the provision of an upwardly curved deflector blade 29 arranged between each adjacent pair of impeller wheels 21. These deflector blades are seated at their lower ends in pockets formed in the inner face of the flange 20 and are secured in place by means of screws, or the like, 30. This manner of mounting the deflector blades is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 4 clearly discloses the deflector blades 29 as being formed as a continuation of the curved inner surface of the trough l9.

The action of the impeller wheels 21 and the deflector blades 29, in projecting the treatment fluid throughout the entire interior of the treatment zone provided by the housing IS with its cover I6 has been determined to be as follows:

Fig. 1 discloses the level of the fluid in .the housing bottom I! during operation of the impeller mechanism. It will be noted that the liquid level is very low in the trough I9 and in' the right hand portion of the bottom of the housing. Th level of the liquid is much higher in the left hand portion of the housing. This difference in level in the two different portions of the housing bottom is due to the use ofa flange 29 which restricts the return flow of the fluid from the left hand portion of the housing bottom to the trough l9. When the impeller mechanism is in operation, there will be only a com-.

' into the trough throughout the operating zone of the impeller wheels from the right hand side q of the housing bottom, and it will also be sucked or drawn into the trough from the right hand side of the housing bottom due to the suction created by the rapidly'rotating impeller wheels. o

occupied by the flxed deflector blades. In other words. any type or fluid, such as air, water, or the like, which occupies or is positioned within the spaces between the rapidly rotating impeller wheels will be set in motion by the blades of th wheels and will be caused or compelled to travel with the impeller blades. The fluid, arranged between the impeller wheels, which is set in motion by the impeller blades of the wheels, will not be permitted to travel with the fluid projected by the impeller blades after leaving the bottom of the trough, for the flxed deflector blades 29 will receive this fluid and will direct a amount of slippage will occur in both directions from each blade; therefore, each blade will supply treatment fluid to the deflector blades positioned on both sides of each impeller wheel.

In Fig. '7 there is disclosed a modified form of impeller wheel. This wheel includes four equispaced blades 280 .which are curved radially. These blades, however, are tapered transversely or in the direction of the axis of the impeller shaft. This transverse tapering of the impeller blades will cause the front or leading faces of the blades to be angularly arranged with respect to the axis of the impeller shaft. Side slip of fluid If the sides in the forming of the deflector blades as an integral part of the cast aluminum bottom Ila of the housing, In castingthc aluminum bottom I'la, the mold part which forms the interior or,

inner side .of the bottom is recessed to form the upwardly projecting portions ll of the deflector blades. The portions 32 of the deflector blades, which extend through or bridge across the trough Isa, also are formed by recesses provided in the upper mold part. These bridging portions 32 are cored at 33 to provide an uninterrupted flow of treatment fluid throughout the entire length from the blades 28a, therefore, will be entirely in one direction, or toward the thin edge of each blade. This type of impeller wheel is employed in each one of the two modified forms of impeller mechanism disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6.

In addition to this impeller modification, Fig. 5 discloses the fixed deflector blades 290 as bein arranged in radial alignment with the impeller wheels 27a with their tapered impeller blades 28a. With this arrangement of impeller wheels and deflector blades, the fluid resulting from side slip from the impeller blades will be thrown oi! tangentially into the impeller portion of the treatment zone. The fluid delivered from the tips or ends of the blades will be received by the deflectors and will be directed into the deflector portion of the treatment zone. The fluid set in motion in the spaces between the impeller wheels will be delivered with the side slip fluid into the of the trough. The impeller wheels 21 are the same as those disclosed and described in connection with Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive. They include four radially curved impeller blades 28.

As is fully described in my aforementioned patent, the treatment fluids are expelled from the trough Illa over the p edge of the flange 20a into the impeller por ion of the treatment zone by means of the impeller wheels 21. integral deflector blades, formed by the portions BI and 32, receive fluid as the result of side slip from the blades 28 and fluid also runs on to the top surfaces of the. deflector blades from the right hand portion of the bottom of the housing. The treatment fluid discharged from the extremities of the deflector blades will be dispersed throughout the deflector portion of the treatment zone. A more complete description of the mode of operation of the impeller mechanismdisclsed in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, will be found in my aforementioned patent to which reference is hereby made.

Figs. 11 and 12 disclose a still further modified form of impeller mechanism in which one set of impeller wheels is employed for dispersing the finely atomized treatment fluid throughout the impeller portion of the treatment zone while a second set of impeller wheels is employed for providing the deflectors with fluids to be directed to and dispersed through the deflector portion impeller portion of the treatment zone. In other respects, the impeller mechanism of F18. 5 operates in the same manner as the impeller mechanism of Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive.

In Fig. 6, the deflector blades 29b are arranged with respect to the impeller wheels 21a and their impeller blades 28a so that the said fixed deflector blades will half overlap thewirnpeller blades in a deliver the same to the inner surfaces of theupstanding, integral deflector blades 31. These deflector blades are shaped so as to direct the fluid received thereby into the deflector portion of the treatment zone.

It is to be understood that the forms of this invention herein shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

drying machine comprising a housing having a Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A dish and silverware washing, rinsing, and drying machine comprising a housing having a shallowtrough in the bottom wall thereof, a flange of less length than and centrally positioned along the discharge side of said trough, a plurality of laterally spaced deflector blades connected to said flange to project only upwardly therefrom, and rotatable means including a plurality of impeller blades arranged to dip into the trough for setting in motion fluid from said trough, a portion of said fluid being discharged directly from said impeller blades at a high velocity and throughout a portion of the interior of said housing extending from the flanged side of the trough,

another portion of said fluid being delivered to said deflector blades and discharged therefrom at a high velocity and in a finely atomized condition throughout the remainder of the interior of said housing.

2. A dish and silverware washing, rinsing, and drying machine comprising a housing having a shallow trough in the bottom wall thereof, a flange of less length than and centrally positioned along the discharge side of said trough, a plurality of relatively short and narrow, longitudinally curved, laterally spaced deflector blades connected at their lower ends to said flange to project only upwardly therefrom, and rotatable means including a plurality of axially spaced, radially curved impeller blades arranged to dip into the trough for setting in motion fluid from said trough, a portion of said fluid being discharged directly from said impeller blades at a high velocity and in a finely atomized condition throughout a portion of the interior of said housing extending from the flanged side of said trough, another portion of said fluid being delivered to said deflector blades and discharged therefrom at a high velocity and in a finely atomized condition throughout the remainder of the interior of said housing.

3. A dish and silverware washing, rinsing, and

' drying machine comprising a housing having a shallow trough in the bottom wall thereof, a flange of less length than and centrally positioned along the discharge side of said trough, a plurality of laterally spaced deflector blades connected to said flange to project onlyupwardly therefrom, means for detachably connecting said deflector blades to said flange, and rotatable means including a plurality of impeller blades arranged to dip into the trough for setting in motion fluid from said trough, a portion of said fluid being discharged directly from said impeller blades at a high velocity and in a finely atomized condition throughout a portion of the interior of said housing extending from the flanged side of the trough, another portion of said fluid being delivered to said deflector blades and discharged therefrom at a high velocity and in a finely in a finely atomized condition atomized condition throughout the remainder of the interior of said housing.

4. A dish and silverware washing, rinsing, and

shallow trough in the bottom wall thereof, a flange of less length than and centrally positioned along the discharge side of said trough, a plurality of laterally spaced deflector blades connected to said flange to project only upwardly therefrom, and rotatable means including a plurality of axially spaced impeller blades carried by a common shaft and arranged to dip into the trough for setting in motion fluid in said trough, said deflector and impeller blades being arranged entirely out of radial alignment with each other,

a portion of said fluid being discharged directly from said impeller blades at a high velocity and in a finely atomized condition throughout a por tion of the interior of said housing extending from the flanged side of the trough, another portion of said fluid being delivered to said deflector blades and discharged therefrom at a high velocity and in a finely atomized condition throughout the remainder of the interior of said housing.

5. A dish and silverware washing, rinsing, and drying machine comprising a housing having trough means in the bottom portion thereof in which treatment fluid may accumulate to be dispersed throughout the housing, means projecting upwardly from a portion of the discharge side of the trough means to a higher level than the remainingside, a plurality of laterally spaced deflector blades joined to said upwardly projecting means at the discharge side of the trough, said deflector blades projecting only upwardly therefrom, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally of the trough means, and a plurality of impeller blades mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith for setting in motion the fluid accumulating in said trough means, said fluid being dispersed throughout the interior of the housing fromthe impeller blades and the deflector blades.

6. A dish and silverware washing, rinsing, and drying machine comprising a housing having trough means in the bottom portion thereof in which treatment fluid may accumulate to be dispersed through the housing, means extending upwardly from a portion of the discharge side of the trough means to a higher level than the remaining side, a plurality of laterally spaced, longitudinally curved deflector blades joined to said upwardly extending means on the discharge side of the trough and projecting only upwardly therefrom, said trough means, including said upwardly extending means, and the curved deflector blades presenting a continuous curved inner surface, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally of the trough means, and a plurality of impeller blades mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith for setting in motion the fluid accumulating in said trough means, said fluid being dispersed througthout the interior of the housing from the impeller blades and the deflector blades.

1 DONALD E. YOCHEM. 

